The Lord of the Rings: Lords of Middle-earth.

Chapter 1064 King Meets King

"Guests from afar, welcome to Rivendell!" Elrond's voice was calm and gentle, like a spring breeze. This legendary half-elf of Middle-earth was perhaps the most powerful being in the entire allied forces at present...

"Greetings, King Elrond!" Everyone greeted him, even Thranduil lowered his proud head. Elrond held a very high position in Middle-earth, belonging to the most senior and established group.

Roland carefully examined Elrond, and just as described in the original text: his face showed no signs of age, neither old nor young, yet etched with many memories of joy and sorrow. His jet-black hair was like the shadow before dawn, adorned with a silver band. His grey eyes, like the clear twilight, held the light of countless stars. He commanded respect, like a weathered king; yet he was also full of energy, like a warrior, battle-hardened and in his prime. Although Elrond appeared somewhat thin, his profession was not the most common ranger among the elves, but rather a rare warrior or swordsman (possibly a conqueror or hero)!

“No need for formalities, the banquet is ready, please follow me…” Elrond personally extended his hand in a salute, his elegant demeanor impeccable even to Roland’s discerning eye.

……

"So what is the purpose of all this commotion?" During the banquet, Elrond casually asked Roland, who was sitting to his right, while elegantly wiping his hands. The old man was cunning and could tell at a glance who was in charge.

"Huh? This is..." Roland didn't answer but looked at the ring on Elrond's hand. Roland turned the ring on his hand without making a sound, and a familiar feeling came from the depths of his soul.

"This is the Ring of Vya! The Ring of Air, one of the Three Rings of the Elves!" Elrond said with a smile. He had no intention of hiding it, after all, this thing in his hands was like the Heaven-Reliant Sword of Wudang Mountain—everyone knew about it, but no one dared to steal it...

“A divine artifact.” Roland nodded calmly. No wonder it felt so familiar; it was the aura of a divine artifact!
"So, the reason you all have stationed your troops at the pass this time is..." Elrond glanced at Roland's hand, then said meaningfully.

"?" Roland's heart skipped a beat when he met Elrond's gaze. It seemed that Elrond had also sensed the Knight's Ring on his hand. However, since Elrond didn't point it out, Roland was too lazy to explain. After all, anyone who had come into contact with a divine artifact could sense the aura of other divine artifacts around them.

"That's right, we've come here hoping to open up the Eastern Road, so we need your support!" Roland said respectfully. Putting everything else aside, the Valley Elves were indeed very capable fighters; after all, Elrond was Gil Galad's former deputy regent and herald! He commanded an elite elven army!
"The Eastern Road?" Elrond was taken aback, then began to ponder.

"What do you want the Eastern Road for? It's teeming with orcs and trolls now!" Elrond didn't understand. In his mind, it would be much more reliable for these people to clear out the eastern Misty Mountains and head south along the Anduin River than to go west.

"Of course, it's to re-establish contact with the Shire! Don't you know the situation in the Shire? To put it nicely, they're carefree; to be realistic, they're living a life of decadence! Don't forget that a large number of dwarves have migrated eastward. The Shire's own defenses aren't very strong. They used to have dwarves from the Blue Mountains region who could serve as mercenaries, but now they only have hobbit archers left!" Roland shrugged, giving a knowing look. After all, the hobbit archers had participated in the Allied Forces back in the day; their combat effectiveness was a matter of opinion...

"Forgive my bluntness, but the Shire cannot change the course of the war. Their strength is limited, well... perhaps there are some brave and intelligent hobbits among them, but it is irresponsible to drag them into the battlefield!" Elrond sighed.

“But it can unleash our power, the food supply in the North is running low!” Roland said calmly, his voice steady and powerful, without the slightest hint of backing down.

"You should know that the power of that being is reviving and returning! We've already fought them several times in Dorgon! Even a Ringwraith fell there! It's time to prepare for war, King Elrond!" Roland waved his hand, his voice heavy. "The North is a harsh and desolate land. The kingdoms there need a stable supply route. Once the wheels of war are turned, the people's livelihood will have to give way to the war. I don't want anyone in the North to starve! Do you understand? As a human king!" At this moment, Roland's figure appeared so majestic and imposing in the eyes of the kings of the Lonely Mountain Alliance. Even Thranduil, who had come with a heavy heart, had to admire Roland's eloquence and character.

“I understand!” Elrond didn’t try to dissuade him but nodded in agreement with Roland’s statement. Originally, in 2941 of the Third Age, the White Order’s army would have breached Dorgun, and the Ringwraiths would have fled in terror. However, this time, the Lonely Mountain Alliance attacked first before they could act. Although they failed to destroy Dorgun and were even forced to retreat, they still dealt a heavy blow to the dark forces. Not to mention, Roland had smashed the passage between Gombard and Dorgun with a single punch! King’s Landing, Beorn Landing, Singary, and the Woodland Kingdoms formed a phantom blockade, directly locking down the upper and lower parts of Mirkwood! Elrond understood those dark “maggots,” so he understood Roland’s explanation.

"So what do you need me to do?" Elrond is a shrewd man. He's lived for thousands of years. What doesn't he know about humans? They're all people who won't do anything without a reason! Since Roland is shamelessly coming over, he must have something to ask of him.

“I hope you can help us contact the Dunedan people…” Roland grinned.

"Dunedanians? What do you want with these northern vagrants?" Elrond's lips twitched. What kind of restless bunch were these? Elrond knew with his feet that Roland was up to something big!
“It’s a mutually beneficial thing!” Roland smiled.

……

“Long time no see…” Elrond stood behind Thranduil and whispered.

"Long time no see, Your Majesty King Elrond!" Thranduil nodded and continued to gaze at the beautiful scenery of the valley.

“You’re still blaming us…” Elrond sighed.

“It’s all in the past. Now all I want is to find a peaceful place for my people to live and work in peace…” Thranduil shook his head. How could it be in the past? His father and most of his people were gone forever. Although reason told Thranduil that it wasn’t Elrond’s fault, the knot in his heart still wouldn’t be untied.

“I didn’t expect you to come… to join a human king on an expedition.” Elrond shook his head.

“We always have to find a way out. I agree with one point King Roland made—if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold! The Woodland Kingdom can no longer stand idly by!” Thranduil sighed. He was more afraid of being isolated than of his enemies, and he tried his best to be more sociable for the sake of his people.

"The Eastern Road isn't so easy to open up... Please make yourself at home, I need to go and have a detailed talk with King Roland!" Elrond gave Thranduil a polite bow, then turned and left.

“Roland? He’s even better at deceiving and making empty promises than you think…” Thranduil’s lips curled up as he watched Elrond’s retreating figure. He could already picture Roland’s true colors.